At M and Z level (the more advanced tiers in the Dutch dressage class system), the question shifts from "who teaches well" to "who fits me and my horse." The basics are in place; you're now working on collection, throughness, and refining individual elements. That calls for a trainer who really sees your combination (you and your horse together) and doesn't apply one fixed method to everyone. This guide walks through what to look for, what questions to ask, and when switching trainers makes sense.
What Changes at M and Z Level
In the lower classes you mainly learn the basic gaits, a correct seat, and the first exercises. From M level onward, elements are added that live or die by timing and feel: shoulder-in, half-pass, collecting the gaits, flying changes heading toward Z level. The mistakes become subtler, and so do the corrections.
A trainer who got you nicely to L level isn't automatically the right one for the step up to Z. It isn't about whether someone is "good," but whether that person can handle your type of horse and your way of learning. A trainer who rides Grand Prix themselves but explains everything by feel can be frustrating for an analytical rider — and the other way around.
What to Look For
Before you book a trial lesson, weigh a few things against each other:
| Aspect | Why It Matters at This Level |
|---|---|
| Own competition experience at M-Z | Someone who has mastered the exercises themselves is quicker to feel where it's going wrong |
| Experience with your type of horse | A warmblood, a Friesian, and a pony each call for a different approach |
| Way of explaining | Whether the explanation matches how you learn — visually, technically, or mainly by feel |
| Training and background | A KNHS instructor qualification (the Dutch equestrian federation's coaching certification) or ORUN registration (an independent Dutch instructor register) says something about the foundation, but isn't a guarantee |
| Availability and location | A big name two hours away that you see twice a year helps less than structured guidance close by |
Also pay attention to whether a trainer builds a line with you over several weeks, or whether every lesson stands on its own. At this level, you mostly benefit from someone who sticks to a plan and builds exercises up over time.
A common choice is combining a regular trainer for weekly guidance with an occasional clinic or training session with a specialist for a specific element, for example the flying changes. That can work, as long as the advice doesn't contradict itself.
Questions to Ask at a Trial Lesson
Almost every trainer lets you ride one or two trial lessons before you commit. Use those to test whether it clicks — not just whether the lesson was "fun." Useful questions:
- How would you assess my combination right now, and what do you think is the next step?
- Do you work with a plan spanning several weeks, or lesson by lesson?
- How many combinations at M-Z level do you coach, and do they compete too?
- How do you handle a horse that gets stuck on a particular element?
- What do you expect me to practice on my own between lessons?
Pay just as much attention to what the trainer asks you. Someone who wants to know what your goal is, how your horse normally goes, and what you're struggling with takes your combination seriously. Someone who starts correcting immediately without watching first misses context that makes the difference at this level.
Red Flags
A few signals are reason to look further:
- One method for everyone. Every combination gets exactly the same exercises, regardless of the type of horse or rider.
- Equipment as a quick fix. Anyone who suggests a stronger bit, auxiliary reins, or a tighter noseband before the basics have been worked on is treating a symptom instead of the cause.
- No attention to the horse's welfare. Continuing to ride while a horse is clearly tense, lame, or overfaced has no place at any level.
- No room for questions. A trainer who gets irritated when you don't understand something or ask follow-up questions holds you back rather than helps you progress.
- Only praise or only criticism. Useful guidance names both what's going well and what could improve, and is specific.
If you consistently feel diminished after a lesson instead of helped forward, take that seriously. Progress and enjoyment aren't mutually exclusive.
What It Costs
Private lessons at M-Z level are usually pricier than a standard riding-school lesson, because you're paying for specialized guidance. Budget roughly €50 to €90 for a one-hour private lesson, with higher outliers for trainers with a name in the sport or for guidance at your own stable. Clinics and training sessions with specialists are often charged per half-day or per day.
These amounts are a guideline and vary by region, trainer, and lesson format. Ask in advance about the rate, whether single lessons or a lesson card work out cheaper, and whether travel costs are included if the trainer comes to you. A more extensive overview of the costs in equestrian sport is in what horse riding costs.
When Switching Makes Sense
Loyalty to a trainer is admirable, but not if you're stuck. Consider switching if you notice that:
- you've been stuck on the same point for months with no explanation why,
- the approach doesn't fit what your horse needs,
- you don't feel your horse's welfare is safe with it,
- or it simply doesn't click anymore.
Switching doesn't have to be a break. An open conversation about where you're stuck sometimes already produces a different approach. If that doesn't help, a few trial lessons elsewhere is a normal and reasonable step. Just don't switch trainers at every setback — some elements simply take months, and switching too often breaks down any progress you're building.
In Practice: How to Approach It
- First determine your goal for the coming period — riding a solid M-level test, making the step up to Z level, or refining a specific element.
- Ask around your area and at your stable for trainers with experience with your type of horse at M-Z level.
- Book a trial lesson with two or three candidates and pay attention to both the content and the click.
- Ask about rate, plan, and availability before you commit.
- Evaluate after a few weeks whether you feel progress — and be willing to adjust course if it doesn't come.
The best trainer isn't necessarily the most famous one, but the one who moves your combination forward and with whom you work well together. At M-Z level, that match matters at least as much as the technique itself.
See also: What horse riding costs · Glossary for this level · Level: Competing More Seriously